


Homecoming

by FeoplePeel



Series: Every Thing that Grows [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Parenthood, Sibling Bonding, i just really love my sister and this is basically like a conversation i would have with her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-17 23:56:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1407403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeoplePeel/pseuds/FeoplePeel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misha stops by for a visit and walks in on an unexpected fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> I recognize my own failing at kidfic. Upon reading an abundance of great kidfic in the Hannibal fandom (most notably Jaqen_hgar), I found myself with an amalgamation of universes to draw from so I could write something I'm more comfortable with: future!fic. I'm much better with teens and the like.

Misha arrived home to shouting.

This wasn't an unheard of event at the Lecter household. After all, two teenagers, himself now in college and his sister soon to follow, fostered that sort of environment from time to time. What was surprising were the participants. Misha loved his younger sister more than anyone, but April was a spoiled know-it-all most of the time. Quick to temper and slow to calm. Will was similar in this respect and, since she turned fifteen, every few months sparked the start of a new fight between the two of them, with either Misha or Hannibal as their medium.

But their dad was away, on a case in Beaufort, until tomorrow.

"I have already told you my feelings on this matter, April, and you deserve no more." Misha heard his father's accent from the kitchen. He assumed they were there, but the echo and the smell of readying food served as confirmation.

"I _deserve_ no more? You taped a fucking list to my door, papa!" Misha couldn't tell, but he thought he heard a scoff as he hung his coat. "I hope I deserve a little more than that!"

"Kaip senieji giedojo, taip jaunieji dainuoja."

"Fuck you!"

"That is the end of this discussion." Misha had to strain to hear for, if anything, his father's voice had dropped in volume. "Retire to your room until dinner, please." To her credit, no more words came from April, though he could hear her as she turned on her heel to stomp up the stairs. Unsurprisingly, Hannibal did not shout after her louder than necessary footsteps, knowing a teenager's tantrum for what it now was.

Misha stayed silent for a few moments more, leaning by the door, before heading towards the kitchen. "Hey." He lifted his chin in greeting, as he entered the room.

"Ah, Misha!" It was a testament to whatever his family had been arguing about that his father hadn't registered his entrance.

"Yes, yes, the prodigal son returns." He embraced his father, briefly, before giving what he hoped was a pointed glance in the direction of the stairs and asked, "You okay?"

Hannibal sighed, scratching his neck in a way that, most curiously, reminded Misha of his other parent. "I can't imagine what's gotten into her, recently." Misha raised an eyebrow. "Your sister wishes to enlist in the United States Army."

Misha blinked. April and he spoke biweekly and this was the first he had heard. Looking back towards the stairs he asked, "Want me to talk to her?"

"Dinner will be ready shortly." Hannibal made a dismissive motion with his arm. "I wish you more luck than your father and I have had."

*

"Knock, knock!" Misha opened his sister's door to find her bed empty. He walked around to the other side where she was extracting herself from two large dogs, carrying a smaller one up with her to face her brother. "Hey, mutt." He greeted the dog, which was struggling to get at him. Knowing Mason, it was only to lick his face.

April set the small dog down at his feet and leaned in for a hug. He politely ignored the red underneath her eyes and the slight sniff around her speech. "They like you better."

"They've just missed me, that's all." He shrugged and she pulled back to give him a look. All of the dogs had pushed between them to stare up at him. "What? Dogs love me! It's in the genes!"

She rolled her eyes and sat in the middle of the bed as he bent over to pet them each in turn.

"Did papa send you up here?"

"I sent myself up here." Misha crossed his arms.

"I'm not coming down until he apologizes."

Misha barked a laugh. "Seriously? You think _he_ needs to apologize?"

April bit her lip. "I want to join the army."

"I know." He motioned downstairs. "I kind of heard, remember? I take it _all of that_ was because of, well,"

"You didn't ask?" He shook his head. "Yeah. Yeah, it's because I want to enlist."

"Why _do_ you want to enlist? To piss dad off?"

"No, not to piss dad," she ran a hand through her hair, short black strands falling on the bed in its wake. "Jesus, Misha, I'm not twelve."

"No. You're eighteen and I think they have a right as your parents to question your motives."

"Well it would have been nice if they _had_ questioned." She rolled her eyes. "Dad just _assumes_ he knows why and papa," she blinked a little, shaking her head, "well, you heard him. He doesn't even want to _talk_ about it. Since when does papa not want to talk to me?"

"He's probably just scared, April."

"Of course he is. He printed out a list of reasons why the U.S. Military is a poor career choice. I think that speaks for itself." She picked at some of the fabric on her bedspread, absently. "I just think I'd be good at it."

"Of course you'd be good at it." April's eyes widened slightly. "You're good at everything you try."

You know what I mean." She flushed, lowering her voice to a hiss. "That I'd be good because of papa. Because of what he _is_."

"Užsičiaupk! He doesn't do that _stuff_ anymore." Misha commanded. 

"How would you know? It's not like you're ever home!" Misha leveled a look at her and she quieted, biting her lip. "Sorry, that wasn't fair."

"No, it wasn't." He sat down in front of her, cross-legged on her bed and looked around, pleased to see everything just as it had always been. A computer desk with no computer but five recreational books on top of likely unfinished homework. A pile of dog toys in a bassinet beside three small pads. A floor-length mirror covered in a hodgepodge of brightly-colored stickers dating back further than Misha could even recall. "And it wasn't fair to papa, either."

"You and dad." She held her head between her hands. "You always stick up for him."

"We're family. Why shouldn't we?" Misha asked. His tone, though serious, held a question. When April did not face him, he asked it. " _Is_ there some reason we shouldn't?"

"What?" April's head shot up, her eyes blinking rapidly to readjust to the light. "No." She replied, more firm. "Sorry, no."

Misha didn't know he was holding his breath until he heard himself exhale loudly. April looked at her hands, guiltily, then up at the ceiling. "I want to travel." He looked at her until she continued. "I want to travel after graduation and I kind of hate Caroline Ruppe."

Misha felt his lips twitch into a smile. "Who's Caroline Ruppe?"

She shrugged. "She's this posh bitch. Her parents spoil her rotten."

"Wow, that doesn't sound familiar. At all." 

"Shut up, that's why I'm so pissed." April smiled, throwing a pillow at him. "She's going to France after graduation and I just don't want to be like her. If I'm going to be out there, seeing the world, I want to feel _useful_ , you know?"

"Excuse me," Misha held a hand to his chest, "I went to Italy when I was nineteen, on our parent's dime, and I happen to think I'm an extremely independent, well-functioning grad student."

April fell back on the bed pulling another pillow over her head as she settled. "You're so lame."

Misha was silent for a few moments. "Papa's list. What did it say?"

"It was a very good list." She sighed. "I know he's scared, but I don't think it's for any of the reasons on that list."

Misha opened his mouth to question when the voice of the man in question floated into the room from downstairs. The dogs, now curled in the beds, rushed towards the door in a single blur and he let out a small chuckle. "I guess dinner's ready. Still not coming down?"

The girl considered it for a moment then shook her head. "I'm embarrassed, but I'm still angry, too."

Misha hopped off the bed, turning back when he reached the door. "Remember what dad says. Only fight about the things you really care about."

April sat up, leaning on her elbows. "I want it, Misha." She finally looked at him, her mouth in a determined line.

"Okay." He nodded The smile on his sister's face wasn't the sun. It wasn't home or inviting or any other metaphor he could place. It was just that; his sister's smile, which made it the most perfect expression on her face. "Whatever you want, sis." From halfway down the stairs he called, "And finish your homework!"

He smiled when he heard her groan.

*

Upstairs, April listened to her father and her brother laugh. She slipped off the bed and padded over to her desk. Moving the books revealed a creamy stationary covered in swirling print. April's eyes traced the page.

  
 _April Gail Lecter,_  
 _I hope this letter finds you in good health. You don't know me, so allow my to introduce myself. My name is Abigail._

A laugh from downstairs broke her quiet trance. _We're family. Why shouldn't we?_ Misha's words rang in her head as she slid the letter inside the topmost book and placed both back on the shelf.

_Is there some reason we shouldn't?_

**Author's Note:**

> "Kaip senieji giedojo, taip jaunieji dainuoja."=Just as one calls into the forest, so it echoes back (in this case, April was being obnoxious so Hannibal retaliated by being obnoxious)
> 
> Užsičiaupk!=Shut up!


End file.
